Jeremy Corbyn unveils 'unifying' shadow cabinet team - BBC News BBC News Jeremy Corbyn unveils 'unifying' shadow cabinet team 14 September 2015 Close share panel Media captionJeremy Corbyn announced that he wants PMQs to feature "less theatre and more facts" Jeremy Corbyn has unveiled what he called a "unifying" new shadow cabinet, naming his left-wing ally John McDonnell as shadow chancellor. Defeated leadership rival Andy Burnham is shadow home secretary, while Hilary Benn remains shadow foreign secretary. The most senior roles on the Labour front bench are taken by men but half of the posts went to women. Meanwhile, in his first interview, Mr McDonnell said capitalism was "failing" and he wanted to "transform it". Angela Eagle, the new shadow business secretary, was also named shadow first secretary of state and will stand in on occasions for Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions. Her twin sister, Maria Eagle, has been made shadow defence secretary. 'Change and continuity' Addressing Labour MPs for the first time as leader, Mr Corbyn said 28,000 new members had joined the party since his election.

He outlined his immediate priorities - including housing, next year's elections in Scotland and Wales and winning the general election in 2020. Image copyright PA Image caption Jeremy Corbyn has chaired his first shadow cabinet meeting Mr Corbyn said his new line-up was a "strong combination of change and continuity" but the appointment of Mr McDonnell, a close friend who managed his campaign, is proving controversial. The Hayes and Harlington MP has previously faced criticism for telling a union event he would "like to go back to the 1980s and assassinate Thatcher" and in 2003 said IRA terrorists should be "honoured" for taking part in their "armed struggle". He previously said a Corbyn government would pledge to clear the budget deficit, "but not by hitting the poor". 'Serious endeavour' Mr McDonnell told Channel 4 News he believed the role of shadow chancellor was "to put forward an alternative to what's happening at the moment". He said he was "not particularly interested in tax on income" and instead wanted to focus on those who were "literally laughing all the way to the bank" and "not paying their fair share".

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption John McDonnell's appointment as shadow chancellor proved most controversial Responding to criticism of his IRA comments, Mr McDonnell said he "might not have chosen the right words" but had made his comments at a time when the peace process was "extremely fragile". He also said he could see the new Labour Party campaigning to stay in Europe "but what we're asking for is significant reform… we want our own our reform agenda". Asked if he really wanted to be chancellor, he said he did, adding: "This is a serious endeavour to get back into government." Other appointments include: Lisa Nandy - shadow energy secretary Lucy Powell, Ed Miliband's general election co-ordinator - shadow education secretary Lewisham MP Heidi Alexander - shadow health secretary Lord Falconer - continues as shadow justice secretary Seema Malhotra - shadow chief secretary to the Treasury Diane Abbott - shadow international development secretary Shadow Northern Ireland secretary - Vernon Coaker Rosie Winterton - continues as chief whip Ian Murray - continues as shadow Scottish secretary Chris Bryant, the new shadow Commons leader, said he had been offered the job of shadow defence secretary but turned it down because he disagreed with Mr Corbyn "about a lot of defence issues".

He predicted Mr Corbyn's reign as Labour leader would be a "bumpy ride", with many Labour MPs at odds. But Mr Benn defended Mr Corbyn, who he said had won a "thumping" victory in the leadership election, but declined to say he backed the appointment of Mr McDonnell. Mr Benn and Mr Bryant both played down reports Mr Corbyn could back leaving the EU in the referendum promised by 2017. The Labour leader has said he is not content with the EU as it stands, but wants to stay to fight for a "better Europe". Speaking on Monday, he said David Cameron must not be given a "blank cheque" to renegotiate whatever he liked and the changes he agreed - which will be put to a referendum by the end of 2017 - must be the "right ones". Analysis Image copyright PA Analysis by Laura Kuenssberg, BBC political editor Where are the new shadow ministers swearing loyalty for ever more? Where are the full-throated cries of support from the whole team for the leader? Nowhere, because Jeremy Corbyn will never be able to persuade the members of all of his team to support all of his positions publicly, let alone in 24 hours.

But also, because he says he wants full and frank discussions about what to do. So by accident or design, or probably both, today new shadow ministers have been free to pick and choose which bits of Project Corbyn they like - even turning down one job in favour of another because of their beliefs. For the world in Westminster, where the wheels are greased with loyalty, discipline and ambition, this is a departure. Ahmed: What will business make of McDonnell? Several Labour politicians also criticised the new party leader for failing to give leading jobs to women. Labour MP Diana Johnson tweeted the appointments were "so very disappointing", while former shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran tweeted that it needed "an urgent rethink". Mr McDonnell said the health and education portfolios were more important than the traditional "great offices of state", adding: "He has broken with that tradition and I'm really pleased." Media captionJohn McDonnell: "The cabinet and the whole administration looks as if it will be gender-balanced" But conversations among Mr Corbyn's close advisers, overheard by a BBC reporter , suggest the decision to give Angela Eagle the additional role of first secretary of state was taken soon after after one aide said the party was the subject of criticism "out there about women".

Former home secretary Charles Clarke said Mr Corbyn had choices about his appointments, but "the choice he made was to go down the most hardline position there was". Labour needed to develop a coherent alternative economic strategy and Mr McDonnell "will simply not be able to do that", he added. Image copyright EPA Image caption Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall were among about a dozen shadow ministers who said they would not serve Image copyright PA Image caption Tom Watson, pictured behind Mr Corbyn, said there was no chance of a coup Labour's deputy leader Tom Watson has urged MPs to back Mr Corbyn. while Frances O'Grady, the TUC's general secretary, has called on the opposition to "look sharp, pull together...and get stuck in". But the other leadership candidates Yvette Cooper and Liz Kendall, as well as Chuka Umunna, Mary Creagh, Tristram Hunt, Rachel Reeves, Chris Leslie, Jamie Reed, Emma Reynolds, Shabana Mahmood and Caroline Flint said they would not serve in Mr Corbyn's shadow cabinet.

Jeremy Corbyn appoints ally John McDonnell as shadow chancellor | Politics | The Guardian Labour Jeremy Corbyn appoints ally John McDonnell as shadow chancellor Veteran leftwinger given key role as Andy Burnham becomes shadow home secretary, with Angela Eagle and Heidi Alexander given frontbench roles Members of the new shadow cabinet: John McDonnell, Hilary Benn, Andy Burnham and Tom Watson. Photograph: Various Agencies for the Guardian Monday 14 September 2015 04.03 EDT First published on Sunday 13 September 2015 17.18 EDT Close This article is 1 year old Jeremy Corbyn, the new Labour leader, is facing the first test of his ability to lead the parliamentary party after appointing his closest political ally, John McDonnell , as shadow chancellor. The decision means that the five most senior positions will be filled by men, including Andy Burnham as shadow home secretary, Hilary Benn as shadow foreign secretary, and Tom Watson as elected deputy as well as Corbyn and McDonnell.

Corbyn’s biggest problem may now be the fierce resistance within the parliamentary party and even among some union leaders to the appointment of McDonnell, with some asking Corbyn to appoint Angela Eagle as shadow chancellor, to balance the shadow cabinet politically and by gender. Eagle was instead given the business portfolio and will also become shadow first secretary of state, deputising for Corbyn in the Commons. McDonnell was Corbyn’s leadership campaign manager and has advocated nationalisation without compensation in the past as well as 60p tax rates. Among MPs, his appointment was seen as a disavowal of Corbyn’s commitment to create a political consensus. Charles Clarke, a former home secretary, said on Monday that he was “aghast” at the appointment of McDonnell, and took it as an indication that Corbyn was appointing hard-left allies instead of building a broad shadow cabinet. He told the BBC’s Radio 4 Today programme that he thought centrist MPs would probably begin to form their own shadow Treasury policy within the party.

Gisela Stuart, a Labour MP who sits on the intelligence and security committee, told the same programme that Corbyn was “not taking the party to 2020” and the Labour party needed to debate what it stood for, which would create conflict. Another brewing political row in the party is over its Europe policy, as former shadow business secretary Chuka Umunna said he was leaving the frontbench by mutual agreement because he could not secure an unambiguous promise from Corbyn to campaign for the UK to stay in the EU. However, Benn, the new shadow foreign secretary, insisted he knew that Corbyn would campaign for Britain to fight to stay in the EU “under all circumstances”. Corbyn’s first challenge in the House of Commons on Monday will be Labour’s response to the trade union bill, led by Eagle, which the whole party strongly opposes so he is unlikely to see any defiance of the whip. In further appointments, Diane Abbott was made shadow secretary of state for international development, Seema Malhotra will be shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, and Heidi Alexander, a relatively new MP, is the new shadow health secretary.

Alexander, a former whip, has helped establish the “Red Shift” group set up in the wake of the election defeat, calling for the party to show that it understood that “money did not grow on trees”. Corbyn victory energises the alienated and alienates the establishment | Gary Younge Read more The existing shadow justice secretary, Lord Falconer, an ally of Burnham and one-time Blairite, will remain shadow lord chancellor. The lack of high-profile jobs for women went down badly with many. The Labour MP for Hull North, Diana Johnson, tweeted: Diana Johnson (@DianaJohnsonMP) It is so very disappointing - old fashioned male dominated Labour politics in the top positions in Shadow Cabinet #notforgirls September 13, 2015 Both Harriet Harman as deputy leader and Yvette Cooper as shadow home secretary have stood down. Cooper will head a taskforce examining the refugee crisis. Benn defended the appointments, saying it was “old-fashioned” to view the biggest jobs as leader, chancellor, home secretary and foreign secretary. He said shadow international development, handed to Abbott, was also extremely important, especially given the refugee crisis.

Labour’s new deputy leader says his mandate is to give policy decisions back to party members on The Andrew Marr Show on Sunday Watson, elected deputy leader on Saturday, said on Sunday that he thought Labour must support remaining in Europe and stressed that he supported a renewal of the Trident nuclear submarine system, a position Corbyn has rejected for a decade and had made a centrepiece of his triumphant leadership campaign. After a day – and night – at Westminster huddled with advisers, including the reappointed shadow chief whip, Rosie Winterton, Corbyn faced a slow drip of ministerial resignations and then, late in the evening, moved to stabilise the parliamentary party by making a series of appointments. Alongside Corbyn and Watson’s own election, the quintet now at the top of the party is entirely male. Tom Watson: unifying stalwart or manipulative and divisive fixer? Read more McDonnell, an hour before the announcement of his new position wa made, shared a platform with Yanis Varoufakis, the former Greek finance minister, at a TUC fringe meeting. He defended the appointments that were soon to be declared. “I am hoping that within the hour we will have a shadow cabinet put together.

As you know, that has been slightly more challenging than the traditional shadow cabinet. It will be as broad-based as we could possibly make it and as inclusive as possible,” he said. McDonnell, the former head of finance at the GLC under Ken Livingstone, quipped that some people were already trying to compare him to Varoufakis because of his anti-austerity views: “Someone said to me ‘are you going to be Britain’s Yanis Varoufakis?’ And I said, ‘I could never be that cool,’” he said, to laughter from a supportive audience. Regarding the trade union bill, which will go before the Commons on Monday, McDonnell said he and Corbyn would “expect” Labour MPs to vote against it during its second reading in parliament and would convene a conference for those who oppose austerity across Europe. He refused to say whether a Corbyn-McDonnell administration would support or reject withdrawal from the EU. “Jeremy has made it clear is that what we should be working with parties across Europe for is a reform package across Europe itself. Whatever [David] Cameron comes back with, we will have to assess what that is.

If it is any attack on employment rights or the promotion of TTIP [Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership], we will be rejecting that package but we will have to come up with a reform programme as well. Jeremy has not supported withdrawal but has not given Cameron a free pass on it,” he said. BBC News - Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and ministerial teams Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet and ministerial teams Click on the faces for profiles Here are details of Ed Miliband's ministerial team following his October 2013 reshuffle. This page is no longer being updated. For latest, click here . ED MILIBAND - LABOUR LEADER The then 40-year-old beat older brother and former foreign secretary David to the Labour leadership in 2010 by the narrowest of margins, with the backing of the trade unions proving decisive. Attempted to shake-off his "Red Ed" tag by talking about the "squeezed middle" - but faced criticism the party lacked direction. He launched a two-year policy review and consultation exercise on "refounding" Labour as a more modern and inclusive party.

He faced criticism his leadership lacked edge, but won support over his reaction to the phone-hacking scandal - and his decision to burn the party's bridges with Rupert Murdoch's media empire. The son of a Marxist intellectual and an MP since 2005, he was formerly an adviser to Gordon Brown. After entering Parliament, he enjoyed a rapid rise, becoming energy and climate change secretary in 2008. Married his long-term partner and mother of his two young children, Justine Thornton in 2011. ED BALLS - SHADOW CHANCELLOR As Gordon Brown's chief economic adviser, he was at the chancellor's side for many years. After being elected an MP in 2005, he quickly became a Treasury minister but had to deny accusations of briefing against Tony Blair. Later he became schools secretary and narrowly held on to his seat in the 2010 election after being targeted by the Tories. Came third in the Labour leadership contest and was named shadow home secretary, despite being tipped for shadow chancellor. His public calls for Labour to change its position on the deficit were widely seen as having lost him the job.

However, following Alan Johnson's resignation in January 2011, Mr Balls, at the age of 44 , became shadow chancellor after all. Married to shadow cabinet colleague Yvette Cooper. YVETTE COOPER - SHADOW HOME SECRETARY AND MINISTER FOR WOMEN AND EQUALITIES Popular throughout the party, the then 42-year old got the most votes of any MP in the shadow cabinet elections. A former journalist with the Independent, she was marked out early on as a rising star after being elected in 1997. Two years later, at the age of 30, she became a minister - the youngest at the time. She rose quickly up the ministerial ladder, working in the Treasury before becoming work and pensions secretary. Was urged by some to run for the leadership but decided against it, saying it was not the right time. Another of those seen as a potential shadow chancellor, she was in fact appointed shadow foreign secretary in Ed Miliband's first front bench line-up, but moved to the home affairs brief after Alan Johnson's resignation. Married to Ed Balls - they are the first married couple to serve as cabinet ministers at the same time. They have three children.

DOUGLAS ALEXANDER - SHADOW FOREIGN SECRETARY The former solicitor is one of only a handful of senior Labour figures who were close to both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown. Once Gordon Brown's speechwriter, he served as Scottish secretary and transport secretary under Tony Blair and international development secretary under Gordon Brown. Blamed by some for the election that never was in 2007 after urging Gordon Brown to call a snap poll. Aged 43 , he co-ordinated the 2010 Labour general election campaign. Backed David Miliband in the leadership contest, chairing his campaign. TRISTRAM HUNT - SHADOW EDUCATION SECRETARY Historian Tristram Hunt, MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central since 2010, was promoted from shadow minister to shadow education secretary in the October 2013 reshuffle. He replaced Stephen Twigg. Mr Hunt is best known as a regular newspaper columnist, broadcaster and history lecturer. After taking a first-class degree in history from Cambridge University, he served as an exchange fellow at the University of Chicago before returning to Cambridge to complete his doctorate.

He went on to work for Tony Blair in the Labour Party HQ on the 1997 General Election campaign and became a special adviser to former Science Minister Lord Sainsbury. ANDY BURNHAM - SHADOW HEALTH SECRETARY Turning 40 in 2010, Burnham was the youngest candidate in the Labour leadership contest, in which he came fourth. During the campaign, he argued that Labour had lost touch with its grass roots supporters and been dazzled by wealth. Like many senior figures in the party, he is a former special adviser. He rose quickly through the ranks after becoming an MP, serving as chief secretary to the Treasury, culture secretary and health secretary. He is a keen football player and avid Everton fan. Looked after education in Ed Miliband's first shadow cabinet before returning to his previous love, health in 2011. HARRIET HARMAN - DEPUTY LEADER AND SHADOW CULTURE SECRETARY Labour's deputy leader, she took over from Gordon Brown as acting leader in May 2010, capping a remarkable political comeback after she was sacked from Tony Blair's first cabinet in 1998 in a row over welfare reform.

She worked her way back into favour and held a number of ministerial positions, including solicitor general, before beating Alan Johnson to the deputy leadership in 2007, at the age of 56 . A longstanding campaigner for women's rights, she led a drive while in government to have domestic violence taken more seriously. Widely commended for her Commons performances as acting leader. Swapped briefs with Ivan Lewis in October 2011, having previously spoken on international development. RACHEL REEVES - SHADOW WORK AND PENSIONS SECRETARY Shortly after returning from maternity leave she was promoted in October 2013 from the post of shadow treasury secretary having been shadow pensions minister in Ed Miliband's first shadow cabinet. The MP for Leeds West was first elected to Parliament at the age of 31 in 2010. A former Bank of England economist, Ms Reeves quickly became a strong voice in opposition and penned an entry in the Purple Book - produced by Lord Mandelson's Progress group - warning that Labour should address the UK's poor rates of saving with targeted tax relief. Oxford and LSE-educated, she also worked at the British Embassy in Washington and at Halifax Bank of Scotland before entering Parliament.

CHUKA UMUNNA - SHADOW BUSINESS SECRETARY A former employment lawyer turned MP for the London constituency of Streatham, Mr Umunna has seen his stock rise inexorably since he was elected in 2010. A former PPS to Ed Miliband, he's already been a shadow business minister and also sat on the powerful Treasury select committee. He has attacked the coalition government for not doing enough to foster bank lending through its Project Merlin agreement. Just 31 when elected, he is already been talked of as a potential future leader. HILARY BENN - SHADOW COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT SECRETARY As the son of former Labour Cabinet minister Tony Benn, the MP for Leeds Central is part of a political dynasty. Regarded as more pragmatic than his father, he was a union official and special adviser to then education and employment minister David Blunkett before becoming an MP in 1999. Well-regarded as international development and environment secretary under Gordon Brown despite having a generally low profile. At the age of 53 stood for the deputy leadership in 2007, coming fourth. One of Ed Miliband's primary supporters in the leadership contest.

SADIQ KHAN - SHADOW JUSTICE SECRETARY One of the most high profile Muslim MPs, the then 40-year-old was an early backer of Ed Miliband to be Labour leader and went on to run his campaign. Before becoming an MP in 2005 he was a leading human rights solicitor and chairman of pressure group Liberty. He is a former government whip, local government minister and transport minister, who was promoted to shadow transport secretary when Lord Adonis stood down after the 2010 general election. Since taking on the justice brief, he has admitted Labour did not do enough to tackle reoffending but accused the coalition of focusing on cutting costs not crime. Leading light in Labour think tanks The Fabian Society and Progress. VERNON COAKER - SHADOW DEFENCE SECRETARY Moving to defence from shadow Northern Ireland secretary in October 2013, the MP for Gedling held several ministerial positions in the last Labour government. One of those jobs was to look after policing - something he continued in Ed Miliband's first shadow cabinet. He was also minister for drugs and crime reduction under Tony Blair and sparked controversy, given that role, when he admitted having smoked cannabis as a student.

Mr Coaker first entered Parliament in 1997, aged 43, having failed to win seats in both 1992 and 1987. Married with two children, he's also a former government whip. CAROLINE FLINT - SHADOW ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE SECRETARY The then 47-year old caused a stir in 2009 when she quit the government and accused Gordon Brown of regarding her and other senior women in the Cabinet as "window dressing". Like many leading female MPs, the former union worker entered Parliament in the 1997 Labour landslide. Responsible for the controversial eco-town project as housing minister before becoming Europe minister in 2008. Supported David Miliband in the leadership contest. A beneficiary of Ed Miliband's first reshuffle, she moved from the communities and local government brief in October 2011. ANGELA EAGLE - SHADOW LEADER OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS One of twin sisters in the shadow cabinet, the MP for Wallasey in Merseyside joined the Labour party when she was 17.

The former union official was present on the Labour frontbench throughout the Blair and Brown years, without ever making the Cabinet. Her middle-ranking roles included social security minister and pensions minister. One of Labour's first openly gay MPs, she formed a civil partnership with her long-term partner in 2008. She supported David Miliband in the leadership contest. In Ed Miliband's 2011 reshuffle, at the age of 50 , she was shifted to shadow leader of the Commons from shadow chief secretary to the Treasury. CHRIS LESLIE - SHADOW CHIEF SECRETARY TO THE TREASURY Chris Leslie has been appointed shadow chief secretary to the Treasury in the latest Labour frontbench reshuffle. The former Bradford councillor was elected MP for Shipley - a Tory stronghold in Yorkshire - in 1997. He held several junior positions in the former Labour government within the Cabinet Office, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Department for Constitutional Affairs. He lost his Shipley seat in 2005, but re-entered Parliament in 2010 as MP for Nottingham East. He went on to serve as shadow financial secretary to the Treasury on Labour's front bench in the Commons.

MARY CREAGH - SHADOW TRANSPORT SECRETARY Mary Creagh has moved from shadow environment secretary to shadow transport secretary in October 2013. When she was appointed to Ed Miliband's first shadow cabinet in October 2010, the then 42-year old had never held a frontbench role before. The Wakefield MP worked for the European Parliament and in academia before entering Parliament in 2005. A keen Europhile, she is fluent in French and Italian. Worked as parliamentary private secretary to Andy Burnham but voted for David Miliband in the leadership contest. MARIA EAGLE - SHADOW ENVIRONMENT SECRETARY Maria Eagle moved in October 2013 to shadow environment secretary in a job swap with Mary Creagh. She is the sister of Angela but chose to support Ed Miliband in the leadership contest. Ms Eagle was a solicitor in Liverpool before entering Parliament in 1997. She held a series of ministerial positions under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, including children's minister and equalities minister. Like her twin, she lists cricket as one of her interests and is a proficient chess player.

JIM MURPHY - SHADOW INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT SECRETARY Jim Murphy was moved - demoted in many people's eyes - in October 2013 from shadow defence secretary. He is a Blairite who worked on David Miliband's leadership campaign. He has held a string of government jobs since entering Parliament in 1997, after snatching the Conservative Party's safest seat in Scotland. He served Labour in power as a whip, Cabinet Office minister, welfare minister, Europe minister and, finally, at the age of 41 , Scottish secretary. The East Renfrewshire MP is a former president of the National Union of Students, who lists his hobbies as model trains and playing football. MARGARET CURRAN - SHADOW SCOTTISH SECRETARY Previously an MSP, Ms Curran represented Glasgow Bailliestone since the Scottish Parliament's inception in 1999. But when that constituency was torn up in boundary changes she made the move to Westminster in 2010. Under her, Labour took back Glasgow East having lost it in a by-election defeat by the SNP in 2008.

In Holyrood, she held various posts, including minister for communities, overseeing the executive's flagship anti-social behaviour laws. Before entering politics she was a lecturer in community education. The then 52-year-old took up her first full shadow cabinet role in October 2011. JON TRICKETT - DEPUTY LABOUR PARTY CHAIR Jon Trickett takes over from the departing Tom Watson as deputy Labour party chair. Gordon Brown's former parliamentary aide, Mr Trickett previously attended shadow cabinet as a junior minister and became a full member as shadow Cabinet Office minister in Ed Miliband's 2011 reshuffle. The then 61-year-old MP for Hemsworth took over the role from Tessa Jowell. MICHAEL DUGHER - SHADOW CABINET OFFICE MINISTER Michael Dugher became shadow Cabinet Office minister in October 2013 after attending the shadow cabinet as shadow minister without portfolio. Mr Dugher won the seat of Barnsley East at the 2010 General Election, after serving as chief political spokesman for the then Prime Minister Gordon Brown.

Having joined the ranks of the Labour parliamentary party, he then became a parliamentary private secretary to the Leader of the Opposition, Ed Miliband. He is also currently vice-chairman of the Labour Party. GLORIA DE PIERO - WOMEN AND EQUALITIES MINISTER Gloria De Piero was appointed shadow women and equalities minister in the October 2013 reshuffle. The former GMTV political editor was an political admirer of Tony Blair and backed David Miliband as party leader. She was elected as MP for Ashfield at the 2010 General Election and appointed to a junior role in the shadow Department for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport. Since October 2011, Ms De Piero has served as a junior shadow Home Office minister. OWEN SMITH - SHADOW WELSH SECRETARY Former BBC radio producer and special adviser who has risen quickly through the ranks. The then 40-year-old was elected in 2010 for Pontypridd, but previously stood unsuccessfully in the 2006 Blaenau Gwent by-election where he lost to independent Dai Davies.

He supported Ed Miliband for the leadership and was given a role in his shadow team five months after entering the House, first as shadow Wales minister and then in the shadow Treasury team. This is his first shadow cabinet role. IVAN LEWIS - SHADOW NORTHERN IRELAND SECRETARY Moving from shadow minister for international development in October 2013, former charity worker and chief executive of the Manchester Jewish Federation, Mr Lewis held a string of junior ministerial posts in the Labour government after becoming an MP in 1997 at the age of 31. He started out as a parliamentary private secretary to then Trade Secretary Stephen Byers, before going on to be an education minister, Treasury minister, health minister and international development minister. Most recently, he was minister of state at the Foreign Office. His previous shadow cabinet role was as culture spokesman in which he was a vocal campaigner on phone hacking. ROSIE WINTERTON - CHIEF WHIP The then 52-year-old was elected unopposed in a ballot for chief whip in 2010. A former local government minister, the Doncaster Central MP is responsible for maintaining discipline among Labour MPs in crucial Commons votes.

BARONESS ROYALL - SHADOW LEADER OF THE LORDS Continues to lead her party in the Lords, having done the job, while in government, under Gordon Brown. She is also a spokesman on education, work and pensions, Northern Ireland and equality issues. Born in 1955 , she started her political career as a special adviser to Neil - now Lord - Kinnock in the 1980s. LORD BASSAM - LABOUR CHIEF WHIP IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS A long-serving leader of Brighton and Hove Council, Lord Bassam was given a peerage in 1997 at the age of 44. The former local government official has continued as Labour's chief whip in the Lords, having done the job since before the 2010 general election. More on This Story Who's who in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet - BBC News BBC News Who's who in Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn's shadow cabinet 14 September 2015 Read more about sharing. Close share panel New Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has named his first shadow cabinet. Who are they and what is likely to be their policy focus?

Shadow chancellor - John McDonnell Image copyright PA The veteran Labour leftwinger is best friends with Mr Corbyn and co-ordinated his election campaign. It is thought he was promised the top job some time ago. The MP for Hayes and Harlington previously stood for Labour leader in 2007 and 2010. A prominent rebel, he recently declared he would "swim through vomit" to vote against benefit cuts and faced criticism for telling a union event that he would "like to go back to the 1980s and assassinate Thatcher". He sparked outrage in 2003 by saying IRA terrorists should be "honoured" for taking part in their "armed struggle", while attending a gathering to commemorate the IRA hunger striker Bobby Sands. Policy focus: Mr McDonnell has said a Corbyn government would clear the budget deficit, "but not by hitting the poor". Instead Labour would balance the books "by halting the tax cuts to the very rich and to corporations, by making sure they pay their taxes, and by investing in the housing and infrastructure a modern country needs to get people back to work in good jobs", he says.

Shadow home secretary - Andy Burnham Image copyright Reuters Defeated leadership contender Andy Burnham served as chief secretary to the Treasury, culture secretary and health secretary in Gordon Brown's government. The MP for Leigh - who came fourth out of five contenders in the 2010 battle and came second to Jeremy Corbyn in 2015 - was also previously shadow health secretary. In April 2009, having been booed at the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster, he began a campaign that eventually led to the second Hillsborough inquiry. Having lost out to Mr Corbyn in the leadership contest, he said the priority was to "unite and to take on the Tories". Policy focus: Mr Burnham was once the Home Office minister at the forefront of the Labour government's push for ID cards, which were opposed by then backbencher Jeremy Corbyn. Mr Burnham has also largely voted in favour of mass retention of data, according to the Public Whip website. Shadow foreign secretary - Hilary Benn Image copyright PA Hilary Benn is to remain as shadow foreign secretary. He is sceptical of the need for military action in Syria and is widely thought in the party to have impressed at the dispatch box since taking over the brief in May.

Mr Benn served as a minister in both the Blair and Brown governments, and was shadow secretary of state for communities and local government in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet. He faced Chancellor George Osborne in Prime Minister's Questions in June, while David Cameron was away in Europe. Policy focus: Mr Corbyn has promised to apologise on behalf of the Labour Party for the invasion of Iraq. Mr Benn has said he does not regret voting for the war in 2003 but has described it as one of the "hardest decisions I've ever had to make". Foreign policy is an area where Labour's approach will be heavily scrutinised, with Mr Corbyn opposed to any military intervention in Syria. Deputy leader - Tom Watson Image copyright Getty Images A former trade union official who once shared a flat with Unite leader Len McCluskey, Mr Watson entered Parliament in 2001 as MP for West Bromwich. He was a government whip and defence minister under Tony Blair, but resigned in 2006, calling for the then prime minister to quit in the interests of the Labour Party and the country. An ally of Gordon Brown, he was a Cabinet Office minister and deputy party chairman under his government.

Mr Watson is known for campaigning on issues including phone hacking, surveillance laws and historical child abuse. Policy focus: In his interview with Andrew Marr the morning after the leadership results, Mr Watson suggested policy differences with Mr Corbyn over issues including the UK's membership of Nato, saying he had his "own mandate" as deputy leader. Shadow business secretary - Angela Eagle Image copyright PA Angela Eagle had been tipped as a potential shadow chancellor but has been given the business brief instead. She was also announced as shadow first secretary of state and will deputise for Mr Corbyn at Prime Minister's Questions when David Cameron is away. The MP for Wallasey stood in the deputy leadership contest and was also a cabinet minister under Gordon Brown. As shadow leader of the Commons her weekly Business questions session will have been good practice for PMQs. Policy focus: Ms Eagle will be attempting to win the backing of businesses for Mr Corbyn's Labour, after they gave his election a mixed reaction. There was support for increased infrastructure investment, but concern about renationalising the railways and raising business taxes.

According to BBC business editor Kamal Ahmed: "For the moment, many businesses will decide that silence is the best policy when considering how to respond to the election of Mr Corbyn and Mr McDonnell." Shadow health secretary - Heidi Alexander Image copyright PA A former party whip under Ed Miliband's leadership, the MP for Lewisham East may be unknown to many outside Westminster. She has previously campaigned against the closure of Lewisham Hospital's A&E department. Policy focus: Speaking after her appointment Ms Alexander told the BBC a "very very limited role" for the private sector in the NHS could be a good thing. Mr Corbyn has pledged to eradicate PFI deals from the NHS by using government money to buy them out. Shadow justice secretary - Lord Falconer Lord Falconer is to continue as shadow justice secretary, having initially been appointed by acting leader Harriet Harman. A former flatmate and close ally of former prime minister Tony Blair, he served as Lord Chancellor under the Blair government. Shadow Commons leader - Chris Bryant Image copyright PA The MP for the Rhondda moves from the job of shadow culture secretary. Mr Bryant, who backed Yvette Cooper in the leadership contest, has also been the shadow work and pensions, and Home Office, minister.

He was offered the job of shadow defence secretary but turned it down due to disagreements with Mr Corbyn on defence policy. Shadow international development - Diane Abbott Image copyright PA Another left-wing MP, she stood in the Labour leadership contest in 2010 - losing to Ed Miliband - and was defeated in this year's London mayoral candidate election. A prominent rebel against the Blair and Brown governments, she voted against the party line on issues including a third runway for Heathrow, renewing the UK's Trident nuclear submarine system, tuition fees and the war in Iraq. She is MP for the east London seat of Hackney North and Stoke Newington. Shadow chief secretary to the Treasury - Seema Malhotra Image copyright PA Seema Malhotra became MP for the London seat of Feltham and Heston in 2011 in a by-election following the death of Alan Keen. In August 2014, she was given the newly-created role of shadow minister for preventing violence against women and girls, by the then Labour leader Ed Miliband. She will be Mr McDonnell's number two in the shadow Treasury team.

Shadow education secretary - Lucy Powell The Manchester Central MP, elected in 2012, is close to Ed Miliband and was vice-chair of Labour's general election campaign. During the leadership campaign she said she had "never, ever met or spoken to" Mr Corbyn since becoming an MP. After being appointed, she said education was a subject she was "passionate" about. Policy focus: A National Education Service, following the NHS model, is one of Mr Corbyn's flagship policies. Under his plans, state-funded academies and free schools would be forced to return to local authority control and tuition fees would be scrapped. Shadow Northern Ireland secretary - Vernon Coaker The MP for Gedling returns to the position he filled in Ed Miliband's shadow cabinet from 2010-13. He later became shadow defence secretary. Mr Coaker - who chaired Yvette Cooper's Labour leadership campaign - was also minister for schools under Gordon Brown. Policy focus: In his second stint as shadow Northern Ireland secretary, Mr Coaker might face questions about Mr Corbyn's friendship with Gerry Adams and his support for a united Ireland.

Shadow secretary of state for Scotland - Ian Murray Image copyright Labour Party He continues as shadow Scotland secretary, having initially been given the role by acting leader Harriet Harman in May. The MP for Edinburgh South is the only current Labour MP in Scotland. Policy focus: Supporters of the new Labour leader say his left-wing approach will win back votes lost to the SNP at the general election. Labour under Mr Corbyn could also co-operate in Commons votes with the SNP, whose leader Nicola Sturgeon has called for a "progressive alliance". He does not support Scottish independence. Chief whip - Rosie Winterton Image copyright PA A former government minister for transport, work and pensions and local government at different times under Gordon Brown, she retains the crucial job of shadow chief whip. Ms Winterton, a former aide to John Prescott, filled the same role throughout Ed Miliband's leadership. She could face some tough challenges managing the different wings of the party. Shadow defence secretary - Maria Eagle Image copyright PA The identical twin sister of the party's new business spokeswoman, Angela Eagle. The Garston and Halewood MP has previously been shadow transport secretary and shadow environment secretary. She has previously voted in favour of renewing the UK's Trident nuclear missile system.

Policy focus: Defence is one of the areas where Mr Corbyn's policies are likely to be different to the views of most of his MPs. During the Labour leadership campaign he set out his "moral" opposition to renewing the UK's nuclear weapons system. The previous Labour leadership was firmly in favour of renewal, and Ms Eagle has voted this way in the Commons. Mr Corbyn has also called for a "serious debate about the powers of Nato" but admits there isn't "an appetite as a whole for people to leave". Shadow work and pensions secretary - Owen Smith Image copyright PA The former shadow Welsh secretary said it was a "great honour" to be appointed to the work and pensions brief. Before entering politics, he spent 10 years working as a BBC journalist. Policy focus: Mr Smith will be expected to set Labour firmly against the government's planned welfare cuts, which Mr Corbyn said in his victory speech were responsible for the "social cleansing" of parts of London. Shadow energy secretary - Lisa Nandy The Wigan MP, seen as being on the left of the party, has previously been a shadow Cabinet Office and education minister. Left wing journalist Owen Jones says he considered starting a campaign to make her leader after Ed Miliband.

Policy focus: Mr Corbyn has said he would be "much happier" with a "regulated, publicly run service delivering energy supplies". There would be a moratorium on fracking, which Mr Corbyn has called "dangerous to the environment". Shadow environment secretary - Kerry McCarthy The Bristol East MP, first elected in 2005, has previously shadowed positions in the Foreign Office, Treasury and Department for Work and Pensions. She is also a vegan and campaigns on food issues. Policy focus: Ms McCarthy is likely to use her new position to pressure the government on the badger cull, of which she has been a fierce critic. She will be liaising with the farming sector for the Labour Party, and has spoken out against the environmental impact of meat production as well as saying the meat, dairy and egg industries "cause immense suffering to more than a billion animals every year in the UK alone". Shadow communities secretary - Jon Trickett Image copyright John Trickett Mr Trickett, the MP for Hemsworth, was one of Jeremy Corbyn's most senior backers in the Parliamentary Labour Party. He was shadow minister without portfolio and deputy chairman under Ed Miliband's leadership.

He has dismissed claims Labour lost the general election because it was too left wing, saying there was a "gulf between the population and political class". Policy focus: Jeremy Corbyn is likely to set his stall firmly against cuts to local government budgets, which he regularly attacked during his election campaign. Shadow culture secretary - Michael Dugher Image copyright Labour Party The Barnsley East MP was a close ally of previous Labour leader Ed Miliband, and was a shadow Cabinet Office minister as well as shadow transport secretary and deputy chairman. He has blamed Labour's election defeat on the party having "too many pointy-heads and too few street fighters". Shadow secretary of state for transport - Lilian Greenwood The Nottingham South MP has represented the seat since 2010. She has been promoted from shadow rail minister under Ed Miliband's leadership. Policy focus: Ms Greenwood has been a strong critic of the government's rail policy, and now has a more prominent platform from which to push for reform. During the leadership campaign, Mr Corbyn said he would consider women-only rail carriages to help stem a rise in assaults on public transport. He also wants to renationalise Britain's railway network and is opposed to the HS2 scheme linking London with the north of England.

Shadow secretary of state for Wales - Nia Griffith The MP for Llanelli since 2005. She was shadow minister for Wales under the last leadership and also served as a shadow business minister. Ms Griffith said she was "very honoured" to be appointed to the shadow cabinet. Shadow minister for young people and voter registration - Gloria De Piero The former GMTV reporter has represented Ashfield since the 2010 general election. She served as a shadow culture minister and shadow Home Office minister under Ed Miliband, before being appointed as a shadow minister for women and equalities in 2013. Policy focus: Jeremy Corbyn supports lowering the voting age to 16, which is not backed by the government Shadow minister for mental health - Luciana Berger Image copyright PA The Liverpool Wavertree MP backed Andy Burnham in the leadership election. She was a shadow health minister under Ed Miliband. Shadow leader of the House of Lords - Baroness Smith of Basildon The Labour MP for Basildon until 2010, Baroness Smith served as a Cabinet Office minister under Gordon Brown's government. She keeps the position she has held since May.

Policy focus: Jeremy Corbyn has called for a thorough and comprehensive review of the House of Lords, saying: "In the interim under our proposals, the Labour party will certainly not nominate new peers for the Lords which risks undermining its legitimacy." Lords chief whip - Lord Bassam of Brighton Former leader of Brighton and Hove City Council, he has held the chief whip position since May 2010. Shadow attorney general- Catherine McKinnell The former solicitor is the MP for Newcastle upon Tyne North. She was made Shadow Solicitor General by Ed Miliband in his first front bench team, and went on to hold the roles of shadow children's and shadow Treasury minister. Shadow minister without portfolio - Jonathan Ashworth Image copyright Labour Party The Leicester South MP was a shadow Cabinet Office minister under Ed Miliband. He backed Yvette Cooper in the leadership election over his Leicester neighbour Liz Kendall, telling the Leicester Mercury he had agonised over the decision. Shadow minister for housing and planning - John Healey Mr Healey is shadowing a portfolio he held under Gordon Brown. The Wentworth and Dearne held a range of post during the Labour government, including financial secretary to the Treasury and local government minister.

Policy focus: Housing is likely to be a key policy area for the Corbyn administration. The new leader wants 240,000 new homes built each year. He has also has called for rent controls in some areas. By 2025, he is promising "decent homes for all in public and private sectors".

Question: Who was appointed as shadow Home Secretary in September 2015?
Answer: Andy Burnham